Saanich/Sidney #216

About this region: This area is a beautiful location for novice kayakers to get their feet wet, so to speak, thanks to the relatively short distances required to reach a destination, the placid waters once on the way and the many accessible places to start a trip. Pristine locations such as Sidney Spit, D’Arcy Island and Portland Island can all be reached with little more than an hour or two of padding – an achievable itinerary for almost every skill level if you pay attention to the weather forecasts and rules regarding prevailing conditions.

The star, of course, is Portland Island with its three camping areas, anchorages, trails and rich intertidal life to view on a low-tide circumnavigation, a definite highlight for the area. However, D’Arcy, Rum and Sidney islands offer their own unique features that make for a wonderfully accessible yet rewarding circuit.  

About this mapsheet: This mapsheet covers the waterways on both sides of Saanich Peninsula, and so includes Saanich Inlet to the west and Haro Strait to the east. This makes it the ideal travel companion for trips out of Sidney, Island View, Swartz Bay, Brentwood Bay and Mill Bay to destinations such as DArcy Island, Sidney Spit, Isle-de-Lis and Portland Island.